On Alien Turf
by Prime627
Summary: I'm a normal guy with the normal problems of being an outcast in high school. You guys all understand, right? Or you can connect? Why can't I connect to you? Oh, that's right. I've been kidnapped by metal robots. Heh. Funny what happens to a guy like me.
1. Chapter 1

I'm not the most popular kid in school. While the other guys could dunk basketballs and run six miles without even breathing hard, I wore all black, right down to my laces, and that must have spooked my peers because not even the ones deemed as _emos_ would hang around me. I heard all the jokes, guys, okay? "Where's the funeral?" Seriously? That's _real_ cute. I always answer the same, which probably scares the pants off them: after looking around for a moment, I'd stop and say _I haven't decided yet_. Yeah, that made them run.

I get it, probably not the best response if I want friends, but the truth is, I never had any real friends. I was always bullied in school and yelled at by my stepdad while my mum hid in her room with The Bottle.

I walked into last hour late, as always. Whispers went around, stuff like _he was with his boyfriend_ or _I hear he smokes in the last stall in the boys' bathroom_ or even _I bet he got blood all over the bathroom walls now_ and the girls would giggle into the perfectly manicured hands. I ignored them the best that I could.

Let's get one thing straight, okay? I'm not interested in guys. I never have been. Why does everyone think that? I. Am not. Attracted. To guys. Do we have that covered? Okay, okay.

I sat down in my seat and I rubbed my black-dyed hair back as I let out a sigh. At least I did my homework. I pulled it out and smoothed it though it wasn't wrinkled.

No surprise, I got an A+ on my homework. Whoo. I put it back into my binder and I leaned back while the teacher lectured us on long division with variables.

It wasn't rocket science.

The teacher dismissed us and I gathered my books together, slowly walking out as the last one.

"Good job today, Jackson. I'm proud of you," the teacher called out as I left.

I smiled back at him. Wow. Praise from an adult. I gave him a nod and he smiled back at me. I started to walk back to my locker to grab my bookbag, which was also black, when I was shoved from behind.

I sprawled out onto the floor, dropping _everything_, stuff I didn't know I was carrying, like sketches of shadowy figures (I wasn't a bad artist) and poems that really made me feel good about being my awkward self (turns out I'm not too bad with words either). My cell clattered out onto the floor as well and I sighed with relief. The screen hadn't shattered. I swear angels started singing.

"Hey, freak," someone sneered behind me as I pulled myself to my knees. I didn't have to turn around. I knew who he was.

"Hey, Dex. Nice to see you again. I'm assuming you gave me that shove? Strong and rough, as always. Good to see you're still working out." I swept all my stuff together and I stood, hugging my books to my chest.

"Saw you making goo-goo eyes at the teacher again."

"Goo-goo eyes?" I looked around. "Did I go to the wrong school again? I meant to go to high school, not kindergarden, darn it!"

I saw their eyes darken and I smiled a bit, turning to walk away. I heard them give chase, but I also heard the math teacher growl a warning. I reminded myself to thank him later.

I stepped out into the sunlight and I like to think my skin glitters since it's so pale, but it doesn't (hush, Twilight fans). I saw something you don't see every day.

A nice, spankin' right-off-the-lot new Camaro with those black racing stripes that make it look like you could fry eggs on the hood. It was def a chick magnet. I envied whoever owned it. While I pictured myself behind the wheel, I must have missed its buddy, the beast-of-a-off-roader, but I didn't deny it my attention for long. It wasn't as good as the Camaro, but it was nice. Army green, too.

Must be some kind of car-club, I concluded as I walked by them. I cast them one last longing look before I moved to step on my bus.

See, I belong to my own club. It's not as nice as the Car-Club, but it's pretty sweet. It's called the If-You-Keep-Your-Head-Down-You-Won't-Get-Gum-In-Your-Hair-While-You-Ride-This-Bus club.

We're still working on the name.

So far, in my little club, we have me, myself, and I. And all the other losers that don't have a car yet, but they aren't official members.

I watched a _semi_ of all things to pull into the parking lot as well. I noted the presence of an exotic sports car, cherry red with a nice silver design. Whoever owned these cars had _awesome_ parents.

Or deep wallets.

The bus pulled out of the lot and I watched the cars shrink into the sizes of the Hot Wheels I have at home, then they were behind the hill, but not out of mind.

I had a feeling that I would see them again and I felt a little bit excited about that, as well as a little nervous. Then those feelings were squashed like Play-Doh under my baby sister's hands.

I reminded myself of my status in school and I gave soft sigh.

Who would want to willingly see _me_ again?

Another little idea I have :3 I know, this sounds a lot like Amber's story, but I have different plans for Jackson, I promise.

Well, this is a start. I'm still thinking on this. Going to add a lot of other references, like the Twilight one for you crazy fangirls (No, Edward will not make an appearance...yet) ;)

Once more, and I know I should do this, but I obviously _do not_ own the Transformers, or any of the films/books/shows that I make references to, mm'kay?

Prime627 out (but not gone)


	2. Chapter 2

Why be racist when you can hate everybody? Well, that's me, Jackson Dwight. I was seventeen, so emo that the emos won't stick around me, and I had no friends. No _human_ friends, at least.

I had a cat.

A little gimpy three-legged cat named Tripod (clever name, right?) who went faster than cheetahs. Everywhere she went, she ran, and she made sure we knew it, especially after I and Jessie tripped over her (it isn't hard to make my little three-year-old sissy trip) because then she'd turn around and _laugh_ at us.

Well, at least it looks like she's laughing with her whiskers twitching and her tail arched over her back as if she's saying "you pathetic humans tripped on me, hahahaha, _losers_!"

_Please_ tell me you read that in Ace Ventura's voice. I cannot be the only pet-detective-wannabe out there.

Anyway, so you all know how my days at school go, right? Pretty exciting, I know. Bet you envy me. I visit the floor more often than uncoordinated people do, and let me tell you, I can pat my head and rub my tummy like anyone else.

I got bullied. Every. Stickin'. Day.

Of course, that was before I stared up into the Mouth of Death, AKA: Megatron's cannon!

I...got ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning, okay, so you can stop staring at me like I'm speaking Japanese.

Sarcasm and English happen to be my best languages, thank you very much, although learning Spanish and Japanese sounds like fun.

Back to my near-death story...

I helped Jessie get her breakfast. She was pretty cute for a little girl her age and I wasn't surprised to hear that she had a little girlfriend that braided her hair on the bus every morning. It was cute to hear her talk and twirl her hair around her stubby little finger while her eyes lit up like stars.

I had to take Mommy and Daddy roles when Dad ran off and Mom laid down with some other dude, but she's having an affair with her number one favorite: alcohol, also known as The Bottle.

Jessie snapped me back to the present when she tugged my shirt and demanded that I give her the pink bowl that had either My Little Pony on it or Tinker Bell. I confess I didn't check when I grabbed it down from the cupboard.

That day was an early out due to an assembly, but the buses would run their normal schedules, arriving and leaving in the 3:06 to 3:15 gap. Jessie got to stay home and watch little pink ponies skip around, the lucky little girl.

I rubbed her head and I promised her that I would be back as soon as I could. She hugged my legs and wished me a good day at school, like the little angel she is.

After twenty-five minute classes and a three hour assembly reminding me why I _never_ sing the school song, I waited for the buses.

It was 1:20. Two hours to wait for the bus. Pathetic, right? I wished I had a car so bad then. I watched everyone else get rides from friends, older siblings, mothers and fathers, knowing full well that I didn't have friends, older siblings, or a caring stepfather or even an alert mother.

My gaze landed on a familiar Camaro and I couldn't help but smile. It was still there. I _had_ to see if I recognized the owner by whatever books or things were in there. I hoped that the driver wasn't Dex's as I walked over.

I peeked into the car, but the windows were so dark that I couldn't see in, so I knocked on the window. When there was no response, I leaned against the side carefully and waited for the owner.

No one came to claim their car.

I looked up to see the semi pull in and it parked on the other side of the Camaro, taking up two parking spaces. It was a perfect parking job: directly in the middle. I envied it. I couldn't put my _socks _on the right way the first time and this guy could squeeze a semi into two parking spaces like he was born doing it.

I waited for the driver to hop out, but nothing happened, so I went back to waiting for the Camaro's owner, not even when there were a handful of kids left.

Maybe it was a teacher's car? No, I thought as I shook my head. This was in the student parking section. I crossed my arms and I started to grow impatient.

Then I heard a voice.

"Come here, boy."

I looked back at the semi. The voice was deep, and it was warm, and it was soothing. Like a father's.

"Come here," the voice repeated.

I just stared. I knew without a doubt the voice was talking to me, but I silently prayed someone else would run up and climb into the semi, screaming an enthusiastic greeting.

"Do not be afraid."

I started backing up and I felt another car behind me. I turned and I saw the army green off-roading beast.

"Do not shout or run. Come to me and you will be safe."

I felt like Susie Salmon in the face of the creepy Mr. Harvey. I scooted around the side of the car and hoped to escape that way.

"Do not go that way," the voice warned. It sounded anxious, and when I disobeyed and I ran that way, I eventually saw why.

Giant robots were landing out of the sky in a circle around me and the cars and the semi. They were purple and they were faceless and they were _pissed_. I could see their wings trembling and I knew that it was not an encouraging sign.

These were not dogs.

These were cats. These were Tripod when you called her gimpy.

While my classmates ran away screaming, my brain suggested helpfully that I should do the same, but my feet were somehow glued to my spot. They were stubborn and right now "uh-uh" was their favorite word.

"Surrender, Autobot and ally," one of the bipedal robot-things said.

"Never," the voice that was speaking to me earlier roared. The semi gave a shudder. "Autobots, transform and defend the humans!"

And then I was in the presence of more giant robots. The Camaro became this cute little robot that was blinking and chirping down at me, but I couldn't understand and the world was suddenly spinning into blackness.

It wasn't long until my body crumpled to the black surface beneath me.

No, I did not faint. I merely tackled the earth.

Backwards.


	3. Chapter 3

When I woke up, I was in the semi cab. I rubbed at my head and I groaned. I had a goose egg the size of a goose egg on my head. "What happened?" I asked groggily, looking at the driver's seat.

Imagine my surprise when I didn't see a driver. Heheheheheh... Yeah, that was a shock.

"It has been concluded that you fainted upon seeing us take our bipedal forms, not an uncommon reaction. Do not, as Bumblebee would say 'beat yourself up', over it...I confess I am still struggling to understand why you would repeatedly punch and kick yourself for fainting."

"I did not faint," I grumbled. "I tackled the ground backwards. I'm fudging talented like that."

The voice crackled warmly over the speakers as the wheel adjusted slightly. "I will erase any memory of you fainting and replace it with the idea that you tackled the ground backwards."

I leaned back in the seat. "Take me back home."

"I am afraid we are not going to your home. You are instead coming to our 'home'."

I couldn't believe it. I was being kidnapped by a semi and I wasn't going back home. I focused on the latter thought until Jessie came to mind.

"I have my little sister there. You _have_ to take me back home."

"Your parents will care for her," the voice insisted.

"No, they won't. Dan doesn't care about Jessie and Mom rarely comes out of her room. Jessie will be all alone and she will probably cry."

"I will not condone the harm of a human being, on purpose or on accident. Direct me to your home and we will retrieve your sister."

I gave the semi specific instructions, then I darted inside. Though the idea of _never_ coming back to this sticking house appealed to me, I had read enough stories to know that this was probably a trick and the semi was probably remote control. Yeah, I thought as I nodded. That had to be it.

"_Jessie_!" I found her sitting in front of the TV and I scooped her up. "Time to go for a little bike ride now."

"Yay! Hi, Jackson! I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, kiddo, now let's go get shoes on and go for a little bike ride to the park, okay?"

"Ooooooh, robot!"

I turned around and saw a giant metal face peering in at us. It had the same colors as the semi. The robot wiggled its fingers in greeting to Jessie, who squealed in delight.

"Come, humans. I fear that Megatron is not far behind. We must hurry if you two want to live to see another anniversary of your birth."

I gave him the universal one-moment gesture, which he gave me his thumbs-up.

I scooted out the back door with Jessie tucked against my chest and I smacked into the Camaro's foot.

"Oh, come on!"

Tripod was in his hands and the little robot was petting her head with a single finger. The cat was purring.

"You three-legged traitor."

The semi came around and scooped me and my sister up.

"Bring the thing he called a three-legged traitor. The little human appears to be attached to it. And be sure to hurry, Bumblebee."

I found myself back in the cab while the semi backed out of our driveway with the Camaro as an escort. Jessie was bouncing in my lap, pestering the semi with questions he tried to answer, but she just cut him off with another one.

"What's your name?"

"My name is Optimus Pr-"

"Where do you come from?"

"I came from the planet Cybertro-"

"How do you know Jackson?"

"I found him at his learning facilit-"

"Do you have a favorite My Little Pony?"

"I do not understand."

She looked like she might cry. She had never met anyone that did not have a favorite My Little Pony.

"Optimus Pr-" quickly changed his answer. "I do enjoy the one called Apple Jack."

"Me too!"

Well, at least two of us seemed to be enjoying the trip. Optimus started to talk to Jessie at her level and she seemed to be adoring him. He apparently loved all of her things: My Little Pony, the color pink, stuffed animals, cats, and even waterslides.

I had to smile at the last one, imagining Optimus slide down a waterslide. "Well, this is touching, but mind telling us what you are?"

"We are Cybertronians from the planet Cybertron. We have come to Earth because our planet is dead. Our former brothers, the Decepticons, have followed us here and they intend to destroy your world. My small team of Autobots and myself are working to defend it from our lost brothers, without alerting humans to either of our presences and without hurting them."

"Well, we know you exist, so, that plan backfired."

"That is why you two are coming with us."

"And Tripod," Jessie squealed. She _had_ to make sure her little cat was included.

Optimus was amused and he chuckled softly, making Jessie smile broadly. "The three of you," he corrected. "You, Jackson, and Tripod."

Jessie let out an excited squeal, I looked out the window, and Tripod was bounding around the interior of Bumblebee trying to catch a toy mouse the robot had snagged for her to keep her busy.


	4. Chapter 4

I could tell immediately that I was not in my home town anymore. When Optimus set us down on the catwalk, we were surrounded by other robots, who introduced themselves as Bulkhead, Arcee, and Ratchet.

Jessie _adored_ Bumblebee beyond words, so the mute scout was put as her guardian. I was charged as Bulkhead's human partner, which I didn't mind. Arcee and Ratchet and Optimus seemed absolutely thrilled that we were all happy with our guardians.

"So, now that we have been given guardians..."

Optimus turned his attention away from Bumblebee and Jessie, who were bonding successfully over the small TV the robots had on the catwalk. I heard the theme song for My Little Pony playing and I had to smile slightly.

"You two are to remain here where we can protect and care for you effectively. We will be in and out due to regular patrols, which your guardians will have to go on separately for now, and then we will slowly add you to their routes when we are sure you are not being pursued."

I nodded and I watched the leader robot carefully. "So, what am I supposed to call you?"

"We have met your kind several times and they have called us machines. We are not your technology. We have biology, and so far only your tiny sibling is the only one that has figured out that we are 'people'. She has come closer to understanding us than anyone before her. We adore her for that reason. You are to call us Autobots, but we prefer Cybertronians. We find using our faction's name is easier for you humans than giving you our species name."

I thought my brain had exploded, but it was still intact and functioning in my head. "I see."

Optimus gave a nod, but he seemed to know the truth.

I just about understood every other word he said.

Optimus let me be with my guardian, which I gave a nod and then I walked over to my sister and our cat, who seemed to be enjoying each other on the ratty couch.

Tripod was batting at Bumblebee's fingers while Jessie sang and danced with the ponies' theme song each time a new episode started up. She was an angel and she attracted the bots' attention as she laughed and squealed.

I smiled and leaned against the catwalk railing as I watched. She even convinced Optimus into a small dance, which made everyone else's eyes stretch wide. The leader of the Autobots instantly went still when he saw everyone staring.

"She is very persuasive."

I laughed and so did the other bots, and for a moment everyone was happy and safe.

And then Optimus ordered a patrol. He asked Bulkhead and Arcee to go out for a loop around their base, which according to him would take an hour and forty-five minutes if done correctly.

When four hours went by, Optimus began to worry. He pestered Ratchet constantly, asking if he had gotten a transmission from either of them.

Bumblebee was holding my snoozing sister on his chest as I paced.

I had known the Autobots for only about seven hours or so and I had begun to get attached. They had, after all, rescued my true family from my cruel stepdad and my uncaring mother.

"Optimus, I have a transmission from the leader of the Decepticons!"

I looked up and listened to the transmission, mimicking Optimus unknowingly.

_Optimus, I have your warriors known as Arcee and Bulkhead. They are safe, but they won't be unless you give to me what I want. I heard from a little birdy you were protecting humans again. I am most interested to meet your little ones. Come and find me, Optimus, I dare you._

I watched Optimus change from the 'bot that had danced with my sister to a war-hardened mech with a purpose.

"Ratchet, we need to go. Bumblebee, stay here."

"He wants your human children," Ratchet pointed out. "Should we not give them to Megatron and take the burden off of us?"

There was that "your" again. I thought it was strange, but I was, I guess, an honorary Autobot under Optimus' command, so I supposed it wasn't that strange as I had originally thought. While I pushed it to the back of my mind, I never forgot that weird "your" when anyone talked about us to Optimus.

"I will never let Megatron get his claws on either of them. I do not know what he intends, but it is not good. I do not trust him."

"You did."

"That was before he changed into the mech we see together."

"There is something special about the male child."

I wondered if this is how Tris felt learning she was Divergent (good story), or Bella when Edward was complaining about her smelling so delicious (love the characters). What was so special about me that this Megatron wanted me and no human did?

I frowned up at the Cybertronians, as they called themselves, and I ran to Optimus' shoulder when he moved so the catwalk ran parallel to him. "Optimus, Megatron wants us."

"I fear he merely needs your head and heart, not you in one piece. I cannot risk you dying because of my mistakes."

"What mistakes?"

He gave me a father's look, the look that said "I'll tell you later". And he voiced that. "That is another story for another time, my dear human Ratchet and I are gone, Bumblebee is in charge. Do as he says."

"I can't understand him!" I protested. He couldn't leave me here when the leader of the Decepticons wanted me. I had to know why.

"You will. You are restricting yourself to one channel. You have to open yourself to ours. I know you can do it."

I watched him and Ratchet walk out of the base through a shining green and red and blue and yellow portal.

One thought ran through my mind.

_I seriously understood every other word that came out of his mouth._


	5. Chapter 5

Jessie might have been happy to sit around in the large room with a My Little Pony marathon to keep her entertained as well as her guardian, Bumblebee, but I was not.

I had known my guardian for about fifteen minutes, but I was still attached to him.

I mean, come on.

I finally get a car and I lose it before I can drive it? That's just cruel.

So I might have been able to do some educated guessing that resulted in me opening the GroundBridge (who knew I could semi-read Cybertronian?). I hurried into the portal unseen.

Not exactly the smartest move, because I smacked into the foot of a giant purple robot that I recognized from the school parking lot.

I didn't know if it was or not, but I wasn't going to stick around and find out, either. So I ran away.

And despite what Optimus says, I was _not_ screaming. I was singing to help calm myself down.

Of course, if I had been mute like Bumblebee, perhaps Megatron wouldn't have found me.

But he did.

He and Megatron had been in a death match before I intervened with my frantic singing and waving of my arms. It didn't take long for Megatron to readjust his aim and put his cannon into _my_ face instead of Optimus'.

The Prime reacted by screaming _no_ several times and beating the scrap into Megatron's back with his fists, but that only made the larger Cybertronian laugh. He swatted him aside as if he was more of a fly than a sixty thousand ton killer robot.

"You have brought your little one onto my ship. So unwise," Megatron grinned.

I tried to get out from under his cannon, but the giant evil robot snatched me up in his claws just as Optimus rose to his feet.

"Make one move, and I snap his pathetic human spine right in two!" Megatron's red optics glittered in the little light there was and I squirmed a bit to try and get out, but his grip tightened and I forced myself to remain still.

Optimus' eyes never left me. He kept staring into mine and he stood straight slowly, but his shoulders were down. He was defeated. "Do I have your word you will not harm him?"

"Perhaps you should tell him why he is here, what he is to you, what Jessie is to you. He looks pathetically lost." Megatron shook me slightly.

I wasn't lost. My stomach was AWOL, but I was there, trying to keep my breakfast down.

I looked at Optimus and he paled.

"If I tell him, it will not be gently," Megatron said. He smirked at me, then back at Optimus.

My brain went crazy, trying to piece everything together.

_My name is Jackson Dwight and my sister is Jessie. I don't know my father. He ran off when I was young and after that, Mother was not the same. She got remarried, but he doesn't love her or us. I got kidnapped by a semi and now I'm in the grip of a robot..._

_"Your little ones"_

I felt like I was going to get sick as I finally put together the final piece of the puzzle and I wish I could just shatter it again.

Optimus looked from me to Megatron then back again. He gave a small nod as he took a deep intake through his vents.

"Jackson, I am sorry you had to learn it this way..."

"No," I growled. I _never_ cried in front of anyone, but there were the tears, falling down my cheeks.

The whole time, Megatron was grinning and chuckling quietly and just flipping _enjoying_ himself!

"Jackson, you must understand. I never wanted to leave her or you, and when I heard Jessie was born..."

"I don't want to hear it!"

"Jackson," Optimus sighed. He was pleading with me to understand, but I didn't want to. I didn't want to know anything he had to say, not anymore.

"Jackson, I am your father."

I glared at him.

I hated him.

I quickly decided that line is only okay when it is not you involved.

"Well, isn't this precious?"

I hated Megatron, too, but not as much as I hated Optimus.

"Now, Jackson. Now that I have you here, I want to ask you a question." Megatron turned his hand so I could look up into his optics. "You are a techno, which is an organic with some of our properties. They vary. You, for example, have a direct link with all kinds of Energon. I need some Dark Energon, Jackson, and you are the only one that can help me find it. If you don't want to, I understand. I'll just let you go back to your father and you can bond at your hidden base."

I gave each of the males a glare. I hated them both, but I didn't hate one as much as the other.

Optimus left me when I needed him to be a father. I wanted him to know the pain I felt. I looked back at Megatron.

"I'll help you, Megatron. Just don't let me go back to the Autobot base."

That's it. We're all caught up with the present now. But I guess you're wondering what happened to everyone...

Optimus, Bulkhead, and Arcee were kicked (literally) off the _Nemesis_. Megatron carried me back to the head of the ship, introduced me to his second-in-command and his favorite warrior which was the exact opposite of my not-father, and I switched sides.

I went from being an Autobot to being a Decepticon, helping Megatron find his Dark Energon.

Because aren't humans the greatest of Decepticons?


	6. Chapter 6

I walk through the halls alone now. I don't think of Jessie anymore. I know that Bumblebee is probably making her tears stop coming. Or she is still glued to the My Little Pony marathon.

Perhaps her _father_ didn't even tell her what happened.

Yeah. I am as surprised as you are. My father is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, who apparantly loved his warriors more than my mother.

Or me.

My anger flares up and I want to beat my fists against something. I'm not usually like this, you know.

I had been a good quiet kid.

That was before I learned that I was the offspring of a Cybertronian and a human with the ability to detect Energon.

I'm a little different. Not the "it's okay to be different" different. I'm so different that I wouldn't know normal if it walked up and bit me.

I look up to find Nemesis staring at me. I don't hate him as much as I hate his brother. He's my uncle. My only uncle.

"Megatron wants to see you. How are you settling in, my fierce techno?"

That's the thing with Nemesis. He thinks he owns everyone and everything, which is fine with me. He's not my father.

"I'm fine. What does Megatron want now?"

When Nemesis lowers his hand (no, servo) to the ground, I step into it and I let him carry me to Megatron's throne room.

"He wants to know if you have located any Energon signatures."

"How do I even do that? It's not like Optimus told me anything before he left. Or even when I was with him."

Nemesis is silent the rest of the way. I find myself wanting to kick him.

Hearing that your father left your mother to rejoin his troops does stuff to you, you know.

Of course, you probably don't know what it feels like, so I'll explain it to you.

Your world falls apart under your shoes and you feel like you're not attached to any one or thing. You're just floating through space, waiting for something to attach to you and pull you back down where you can stand up again.

I'm still floating.

Megatron is thrillled to know that I know where there is a Dark Energon deposit. And it isn't far away.

I sit on the arm rest of his throne, Starscream giving me a jealous look every once in a while. He's never been allowed so close to the throne and here I am, a pathetic insect of a human, sitting where he wants to be.

I smirk at him. He glares at me.

We hate each other.

I assure him I don't appreciate being here anymore than I had been with Optimus and his troops, though I miss it.

I miss feeling like I belong.

I don't belong here. I am not a Decepticon, not truly. I find no pleasure in watching the drones work all day and through the night on a small ration, though Starscream seems to have the most fun kicking them and breaking them down.

Do I regret joining the Decepticons?

Oh, yeah.

Will I go back to the Autobots?

Back to Optimus and his troop of misfits?

Back to my father that abandoned me?

Not likely.

But, as I have learned here, my fate has already been decided by Primus, or Alchemist, or whoever. Is it Vector that controls time? I pray to him now, begging him for a redo.

I don't get one.

Suddenly my anger falls apart and tears threaten to spill. I have been here for an hour, maybe two, and I want to go back to being Dex's punching bag.

I felt safe there, not here. Not while Nemesis continues to stare and Megatron continues to ask me for more deposits.

Why does he need such dangerous crystals? I see the drones becoming weary. I see them begging for mercy, begging for rest.

They don't get it. Starscream keeps them moving.

This isn't Optimus' family.

This is a prison.

And I am a prisoner.

A day passes and I have helped locate seven Dark Energon deposits, though we have only mined two of them.

Most of the drones are dead from the Dark Energon exposure. Knockout is making more as I narrate.

And I? I am waling to the control room. I have been given an all-access pass. I can get into whatever room I want. I have worked my way into Megatron's spark and I have won his favor in hours.

Starscream is still trying to win such favor. I know he will be an enemy. I know he will do anything he can to stop me from learning the truth just so he can twist it around to make it seem that I am deceiving them.

The Decepticons do not approve of deception. Quite ironic.

I walk into the sort of library. I get Soundwave to bring it to me. He respects me because I have Megatron's favor. I will use that to my advantage.

But right now I want to know what happened to me, to Jessie, to Optimus, to my mother.

I am told that everything matters and that everything has been recorded.

I need to know why I am the way I am.

I need to know why I am Prime's child. And if I can detect Energon...

...what can Jessie do?

Optimus paces. Jessie watches him with her brilliant blue eyes. She inherited his eyes. She knew who Optimus was all along, but she didn't know what the feelings meant, so she couldn't tell Jackson.

It only made sense when Optimus told her that she was his daughter.

"Daddy?"

Optimus stops walking to look at her. He touches her cheek, brushes her hair back behind her ear, and he tips her head up with a digit.

"What is it, little one?"

Jessie opens her mouth, but she cannot explain. She climbs onto his servo and she hugs his wrist. She squeezes her eyes tight.

And Optimus is calm once more due to her projecting an emotion into him. That is her power. It is an ancient power, but powerful.

And very useful.

Optimus kisses her forehead gently, lays her down on the couch, and he tucks her in as he had once before.

Jackson would not remember him returning to them late at night two years ago, then again two years before that, and again two years before that.

He always returns to his children.

He had made a promise.

Primes keep their promises.

"I promise I will find Jackson soon."

Jessie buries herself into the couch and she smiles. She trusts her father. She has always trusted her father, even when he was just a memory in her head, just a vague blur that didn't make since to her before now.

She has no cause for worry that Jackson will remain missing

Primes, after all, keep their promises.


	7. Chapter 7

It comes to me then. As soon as I read the report of a child being born to Optimus, I get my memories of my father.

_He held me on his chest, rubbing my fuzzy hair and laughing when I squeaked and growled. "He is just like a sparkling. He is vocal and squirmy."_

_ My mother smiled and took me from him. "That's your daddy. That's Optimus Prime. Isn't he cool? Of course, this is just his human form. You have yet to see his true form." She hesitated for a moment and she sighed. "Does he have a chance of remembering any of this?"_

_ Optimus walked to us and he rubbed my head. "He is part Cybertronian, after all. He will remember every detail due to my contribution of coding. It will just be locked away until he decides to remember, to look back."_

_ He looked at me then, his blue eyes meeting mine. "I love you, Jackson. You are very precious to me. I vow to try to keep you out of my world as long as I possibly can. You are not ready for it just yet."_

I sit back against the wall and I put the datapad down beside me. I do not want to see more yet. I can hardly take that single flashback. I cannot take much now. I will probably cry before long if flashback after flashback continues to come.

I do not have to wait long for another one to overtake me.

_I was crying. I had a nightmare. I was sobbing and screaming. I stood up on my small pudgy legs and I begged for someone to soothe me._

_ Optimus walked into the room and he soothed me. He lifted me up into his arms and he kissed my head. He kissed my cheeks and I began to calm down. I looked at him with watery blue eyes that were quickly turning brown._

_ "Let us see my planet, little Jackson. It is just a silvery-blue dot from here, but it was once gorgeous. It was once beautiful. Your mother reminds me of Cybertron. She is free. She is wild. And she is beautiful."_

_ He pointed it out to me. He told me all the names of the stars. He told me all of the constellations. He told me all of his stars as well. I watched him the entire time. I watched him with adoration and love._

_ I had loved him_.

I pull out of the flashback and I hold my head in my hands. I start to begin to break down as I had before when I was younger and when I had loved and adored my father. I look up and see Soundwave watching me. I give him a glare, but it falters and tears roll down my cheeks.

Suddenly his visor lights up and I see the coordinates before the GroundBridge opens.

He is sending me back to base as close as he can get it. I give him a questioning look before I remember what happened to Soundwave.

He lost everyone close to him. He lost his mate, his child, his parents, his friends, and his siblings. He had lost everything before Megatron came to him with the promise that he could get all of that back.

He did not. But he is loyal to Megatron. He is loyal to his only friend.

I pity him.

I step through the GroundBridge and I find myself twelve miles away from the base, but I know I have attracted the attention of the Autobots with the energy surge. I remind myself to thank Soundwave for taking me home.

I hear the semi before I see it. Optimus transforms, not caring about being seen. I was gone for four days and Optimus Prime is a concerned father.

Of course he is transforming in the middle of the day.

"Jackson, I was so worried. Are you okay? I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I promised your mother I wouldn't tell you about my world. I told you about it when you were younger, and your thought that me leaving would lock those memories away forever."

My _mother_ sent my father away? I look up at him. "It didn't. I remember everything."

Optimus kneels before me and he touches my head with a digit. I lean into it, reaching up to hug his wrist.

"I never forgot you. I could not forget. I wish I had the strength to stay instead of consenting to our mother's wishes. I regret not staying."

"I forgive you," I whisper. I mean it. I mean it with every fiber of my being.

My father's optics soften and he lifts me up as he transforms and he sits me securely in his cab.

He takes me home.

He takes me to where I belong.

I am no longer floating.

I am secure.

I like it that way.

Jessie greets me with happy squeals and giggles as she wraps every limb around my leg. I tease her off and I nuzzle her fondly. "I missed you too, kiddo. Did you drive Bumblebee crazy with Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie yet?"

"No!" She giggles and she clings to my arm. "I missed you, Jackie!"

I rub her head, then I tip her head up. "Hey. Tonight, I want to show you Cybertron."

I sit outside the base with Jessie in my lap. She looks up at the sky in anticipation as the sun sets and the stars peek out.

I point out Cybertron. I point out all of our stars. I name all of them. I name all of Cybertron's stars. I hear Optimus behind me and I look back at him as Jessie falls asleep in my lap with Cybertronian legends in her dreams.

"You remembered all of them."

"Of course. You are a good teacher." I let him sit beside me and I smile up at him.

He turns to me and his optics shine with an emotion I never thought I'd see in my father.

Mischief.

"I have your baby pictures."

"Dad! I swear to whatever god you have, if you show them to anyone..."

Optimus got up and he stepped back several steps. "I may be an alien robot, but I am still a father."

And that is when I went to tackle my father.

You can imagine how well that went.

Let me give you this image.

If King Kong was about several hundred feet shorter and the building was several thousand feet taller, I would be considered King Kong and Optimus would be the building.

I was a single flea on on elephant.

And Optimus was enjoying it as much as I was.

One day, I vow to be as big as Optimus so I may tackle him properly.

After all, Prime's children keep their promises.


End file.
